Cameorn jackson DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Answer? Depends on how green the wood is. Is it time for taxpayers to say no more green wood to make ethanol? Yes.
Calpers and others kicked in $158 million in 2008 to Range Fuels to produce ethanol out of wood for commercial purposes. In May 2009 CEO Mandich said that no one had figured out how to make ethanol out of wood. For something that no one knows how to do — how in the world did they get funding in the first place?
Next week President Obama is expected to ask for even more subsidies for renewable energy. Let’s hope the answer is no — there is no excuse for throwing more money after bad or to listen to more self-serving pleas from investors who want taxpayers to finance their politically correct attempts to get even richer.
Last year the EPA had no choice but to reduce the government’s 100 million gallon target for 2010 to 6.6 million gallons. Maybe New Gingrich will ask EPA to let corn ethanol make the cut as wood can’t do the job.
A local boondoggle in the Santa Cruz, CA area: This is from the Santa Cruz Sentinel on Feb 10, 2011 B2: Assemblyman Alejo touts benefits of program on chipping block. Assemblyman Luis Alejo D-Watsonville hopes to spare Salinas based Green Vehicles from the chopping block. Green Vehicles makes three-wheeled electric cars and relocated last year to Salinas. California Budget Project found that the Green Vehicles program has handed out $3.6 BILLION in tax breaks mostly to businesses with assets in excess of $1 billion while creating few jobs.
